Multiple Personality Disorder

Introduction

Multiple personality disorder is a psychiatric disorder in which the individual has more than one personality and this extra personality can control person’s behaviour. A number of researches have shown that women are most affected by the disorder. The ratio of women to men who have the disorder is 6:4. The latest researches show that prevalence of this disorder has increased over the last two decades and the infection rate increased from 6% in 2000 to 11% at the end of 2012. In the paper, three main points: the causes, symptoms and treatment of multiple personality disorder will be discussed. The paper will examine all possible causes of the multiple personality disorder and its symptoms. At the end, analysis of all possible ways of curing multiple personality disorder will be made.

Multiple personality disorder is mostly caused by prolonged child abuse, especially sexual abuse. Women are mostly abused sexually when they are young girls. This explains why they get multiple personality disorder in the women later. Women are also said to be more emotionally affected by different situations than men and, thus, they tend to suffer from multiple personality disorder more often than men (Haddock). When a conflict appears, the disorder makes a person walk away from the conflict. Thus, in order to forget this conflict or any other terrible experience, person’s mind creates the second personality. Affected people prefer staying alone and they fear and hate things connected with the conflict. For instance, women who have the disorder as a result of sexual abuse hate men and sex.

Causes

As it was said above, people with multiple personality disorder do not like to associate with others. It is known that a human being is a social being and needs to live and associate with other human beings. Unlike normal people, people with this disorder are able to ignore others and always want to be alone. They also feel hated and have low self-esteem. They feel that they are not worthwhile. This makes the situation even worse and if no measures are taken, such people may end up committing suicide. Another cause of multiple personality disorder may be the situation when some members of the family, if not all of them, like to stay alone and not to associate with others. It is believed that children learn very easily and with such relatives, the children end up being just like them. This results in the multiple personality disorder in the future (Moline).

As mentioned above, the major cause of the disorder is the sexual abuse in childhood. It may also be caused by the continued physical abuse in childhood. In such situations, the victim prone to suffer from multiple personality disorder in future. They do not like to communicate with other people and also hate men and sex, if it is as a result of sexual abuse. The cause is also associated with low self-esteem. The victims do not love themselves and they feel that they are not worth any good thing. This feeling greatly affects their lives since they do not do anything to improve the situation. One more cause of the multiple personality disorder is a lack of people who could comfort and to talk to the abused children or children who want to distance themselves from others. This could counteract the abusive relatives and prevent people from suffering from the multiple personality disorder in future.

Symptoms

Multiple personality disorder manifests itself through various symptoms, among which is amnesia. People with this disorder tend to forget things easily. They may look for something while still holding it. They can find something in the house that they bought and they will claim that they cannot remember buying it. Another symptom is depersonalization. They feel that they are not themselves and it is like they are watching a video clip or a movie of themselves. Thus, they feel that their body is unreal (Ringrose). Derealization is another symptom of multiple personality disorder. Patients feel that everything is not real. To them, everything changes often. For example, walls may change their colour. Besides, patients have identity disturbances. They may change to different personalities within seconds after a certain memory comes in their mind.

Treatment

Treatment of people with multiple personality disorder lasts for six to seven years. It should be done by a specialised therapist who can apply particular methods in order to achieve the best results. One of the methods that is often used to treat this disease is psychotherapy. This is where the patients undergo psychological therapy. Professional psychologists talk to them and apply certain exercises (Saks). This may be a group or an individual therapy. Another method of treatment is medication when the doctors prescribe tranquilizers or antidepressants. However, some doctors do not prescribe tranquilizers or antidepressants since their patients may be drug users and the drugs may not go well with the tranquilizers. Hypnosis may also be used in the treatment. This method is applied in cases when the patients mutilate themselves. An alternative treatment will be massage and the use of herbs that help in relaxing the body and the brain.

Final statement

Multiple personality disorder affects many people and may result in committing suicide. People should always care about the future of their children. When children are sexually abused, measures need to be taken in order to ensure that they do not suffer from multiple personality disorder. Members of the family also need to associate with other people in order to set a good example for children. It is also advisable always to talk to the children, comfort them, show them what real life is and remind them that they have a bright future. This will reduce chances that children would suffer from multiple personality disorder in future.